U.S. patent application number 12/494097 was filed with the patent office on 2009-12-24 for advertisement insertion during application launch in handheld, mobile display devices.
Invention is credited to Srinivasa Dharmaji.
Application Number | 20090319375 12/494097 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43411332 |
Filed Date | 2009-12-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090319375 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dharmaji; Srinivasa |
December 24, 2009 |
Advertisement Insertion During Application Launch in Handheld,
Mobile Display Devices
Abstract
A time delay that occurs when an application is launched in a
mobile handheld display device (MHDD), when the application or
content is downloaded, before the MHDD is ready for the user to
interact with it, wastes the user's time and, in an embodiment of
the invention, this time delay constitutes an interval that is used
to display targeted advertisements that are already stored on the
MHDD, and that are rendered and displayed to the user on the screen
while the user waits for completion of downloading of the
application or content to the MHDD. An embodiment of the invention
provides a micro-splicer that inserts alternate content for display
on an MHDD, and renders and displays pre-stored advertisements
during application launch time.
Inventors: |
Dharmaji; Srinivasa;
(Cupertino, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GLENN PATENT GROUP
3475 EDISON WAY, SUITE L
MENLO PARK
CA
94025
US
|
Family ID: |
43411332 |
Appl. No.: |
12/494097 |
Filed: |
June 29, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11828204 |
Jul 25, 2007 |
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12494097 |
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60834039 |
Jul 29, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.64 ;
380/210; 713/150; 717/178 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0267 20130101;
H04N 21/812 20130101; G06F 15/025 20130101; G06Q 30/00 20130101;
G06Q 30/0251 20130101; G06Q 30/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/14.64 ;
717/178; 713/150; 380/210 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/00 20060101
G06Q030/00; G06F 9/445 20060101 G06F009/445; H04L 29/06 20060101
H04L029/06; H04N 7/167 20060101 H04N007/167 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for synchronized insertion of alternate multimedia
content into a mobile handheld display device (MHDD) for display to
a user of said MHDD during downloading of a program to said MHDD,
comprising: a micro-splicer adapted to render and display said
alternate multimedia content on said MHDD; a buffer, in
communication with said micro-splicer, and adapted to store said
program after it is downloaded to said MHDD; a status register
adapted to monitor status of said program download, program
download completion, and program launch; and a scheduler, in
communication with said micro-splicer, and adapted to switch said
MHDD display between said alternate multimedia content and said
program in response to said program download completion and program
launch status information, said scheduler adapted to synchronize
insertion of said alternate multimedia content with completion of
said program launch; a storage to which said alternate multimedia
content to be displayed during program downloading and prior to
program launch is downloaded and saved on said MHDD; and said
scheduler adapted to select alternate multimedia content to be
displayed during program download and launch in response to
metadata provided to said MHDD prior to said program launch.
2. A method for synchronized insertion of alternate multimedia
content into a mobile handheld display device (MHDD) for display to
a user of said MHDD during downloading of a program to said MHDD,
comprising the steps of: downloading said alternate multimedia
content and storing said alternate multimedia content in an
alternate content buffer in said MHDD prior to downloading said
program to said MHDD; receiving metadata at said MHDD prior to
downloading said program, said metadata comprising information on
which alternate multimedia content is to be displayed on said MHDD
during downloading of said program; decrypting, decoding, and
saving said metadata on said MHDD in an alternate content
scheduler; starting program downloading to said MHDD; decrypting,
decoding, and storing said downloaded program on said MHDD in a
program store; monitoring a start of said program downloading on
said MHDD with a program download status register; informing said
alternate content scheduler of a start of said program downloading
with said status register; loading an MHDD display buffer with said
stored said alternate multimedia content, based on said metadata;
rendering and displaying said alternate multimedia content on said
MHDD with a micro-splicer in response to instructions received by
said micro-splicer from said alternate content scheduler;
continuing to monitor program download status with said status
register until program downloading is complete; informing said
alternate content scheduler of program download completion with
said status register; stopping said alternate content buffer from
loading alternate multimedia content loading into said display
buffer in response to instructions received by said alternate
content buffer from said alternate content scheduler; and loading
program content into said display buffer from said program store;
initiating rendering and display of said program content on said
MHDD with said micro-splicer.
3. The method of claim 2, said micro-splicer performing the step
of: initiating rendering and starting display of program content
only after completion of rendering and display of a currently
rendered and displayed alternate multimedia content.
4. An architecture for alternate multimedia content insertion in a
mobile handheld digital device (MHDD) during downloading and
launching programs on said MHDD, comprising: a micro-splicer
adapted for switching on said MHDD between display of said
alternate multimedia content and downloaded program content; a
status register for monitoring program download initiation,
download status, and program launch; and an alternate content
scheduler adapted to receive said alternate multimedia content and
related metadata over any of a broadcast and a unicast channel,
said alternate content scheduler adapted to synchronize content
switching on said MHDD between display of said alternate multimedia
content and said downloaded program content by notifying said
micro-splicer of program download initiation and download status,
as obtained from said status register.
5. A method for insertion and display of alternate content in a
mobile handheld digital device (MHDD) during program download,
comprising the steps of: said MHDD initiating a program download;
said MHDD receiving alternate content metadata; decrypting and
decoding said received metadata and storing said decrypted and
decoded metadata in an alternate content scheduler; a file download
status monitor maintaining status of said program download, and
providing status information to said alternate content scheduler at
a start of a program download; said MHDD receiving a program file
from a mobile video provider; decrypting said program file and
storing said decrypted program file in a content/program buffer;
said alternate content scheduler receiving status on downloading of
said program file and instructing a micro-splicer to load said
alternate content into a display buffer of the MHDD for display on
a display of the MHDD; displaying said alternate content in said
display buffer on said MHDD display; said file download status
monitor continuing to monitor status of said program file download
until an end of said program download; said alternate content
scheduler instructing said micro-splicer to stop loading alternate
content into said display buffer when it receives a download
completion status from said status monitor; once said current
alternate content display is complete, said micro-splicer loading
said program into said display buffer to run said program, and to
display said program on said MHDD display; and said micro-splicer
connecting said program to said display buffer memory for a user to
interact with said program, thus enabling program execution.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/828,204, entitled Micro-Splicer for
Inserting Alternate Content to a Content Stream on a Handheld
Device, filed Jul. 25, 2007, which in turn claims priority to U.S.
provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/834,039, entitled
Micro-Splicer in Mobile Device, filed Jul. 29, 2006, each of which
is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference
thereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The invention relates to insertion of content into
multimedia streams. More specifically, the invention relates to the
rendering of focused advertisements and alternate content for
viewing by a target audience on a mobile handheld display device;
and, more particularly, to the insertion of alternate content
during a startup delay associated with application download and
buffering, prior to program start, via wireless connection.
[0004] 2. Description of the Background Art
[0005] The availability and growth of usage of handheld mobile
display devices (MHDD), such as the personal digital assistant
(PDA) and the cell phone, is revolutionizing digital multimedia
content viewing ability and user experience. Alternate content,
including advertisements to be viewed with any active content, is
typically downloaded and stored in the MHDD for insertion into
predefined advertisement spots (ad spots) during actual user
viewing of content. The insertion of alternate content into an
active content stream at a specified ad spot is effected by a
micro-splicer instantiated on the MHDD. The content to be viewed is
thus buffered on the MHDD before the user begins actual content
viewing.
[0006] The MHDD is becoming a major contender for running normal
application programs. Due to the lack of storage capability on the
MHDD, typical application programs are downloaded onto the MHDD via
a wireless connection at the time of use. The variable nature of
the available bandwidth that connects the MHDD to the source or
transmitter of the content/application necessitates the downloading
and storing of programs in the local memory of the MHDD, and then
running the content/application from the MHDD's local memory.
[0007] There is also a time delay associated with any application
download. As noted above, the time it takes to download any program
or content depends on the available bandwidth. This time is
currently wasted time for the user, who has to wait idly for
completion of program or content downloading.
[0008] It would be advantageous to provide a way for effectively
using this wait time by providing content and/or alternate content
from a targeted advertisement gateway to a user, where such content
and/or alternate content is based on an advertising program, and on
the characteristics of the user or a specific group of
individuals.
[0009] It would be further advantageous if such a solution would
allow for intelligent use of the available bandwidth of a multicast
wireless broadcasting system to provide improved advertising
campaign efficiency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] A time delay occurs when an application is launched in any
mobile handheld display device (MHDD), while the application or
content is being downloaded, and before the MHDD is ready for the
user to interact with it. This time delay wastes the user's time,
and is better used if targeted advertisements that are already
stored on the MHDD can be rendered and displayed to the user on the
screen while the user waits for completion of downloading of the
application or content to the MHDD. An embodiment of the invention
provides a micro-splicer that inserts alternate content for display
on an MHDD, and renders and displays pre-stored advertisements
during application launch time.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing entities involved in
rendering and display of alternate content during available
advertisement spots according to the invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is flow diagram showing operation of a micro-splicer
for alternate content during the download of an application program
to an MHDD according to the invention; and
[0013] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing operation of the insertion
and display of alternate content during program download according
to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] A time delay occurs when an application is launched in any
mobile handheld display device (MHDD), while the application or
content is being downloaded, and before the MHDD is ready for the
user to interact with it. This time delay wastes the user's time,
and is better used if targeted advertisements that are already
stored on the MHDD can be rendered and displayed to the user on the
screen while the user waits for completion of downloading of the
application or content to the MHDD. An embodiment of the invention
provides a micro-splicer that inserts alternate content for display
on an MHDD, and renders and displays pre-stored advertisements
during application launch time.
[0015] An embodiment of the invention makes good use of the time
that it takes to download an application program and/or content
into the MHDD, which time is otherwise wasted, by inserting,
rendering, and displaying to a user of the MHDD gateway content or
focused advertisements that are pre-stored on the MHDD as alternate
content. A micro-splicer is previously instantiated on the MHDD and
provides for insertion of the alternate content into a content
stream, thus enabling alternate content insertion into the MHDD's
display buffer during program downloading. On completion of program
downloading, when the application is ready for operation by the
user, and after display of the alternate content is completed, the
application is launched from the MHDD's program storage. The
alternate content is intended for a target audience and can
comprise targeted advertisements or alternate content that was
previously downloaded and stored on the MHDD, prior to the
initiation of the program download. The micro-splicer inserts the
chosen alternate content or advertisements into the MHDD's display
buffer and displays same to the user while the user is waiting for
the application to launch.
[0016] More specifically, an embodiment of the invention provides a
method and apparatus that inserts alternate digital content for
rendering and display on MHDDs during application download. In one
embodiment, the micro-splicer is used for rendering and display of
digital content on the MHDD during program downloading time. Such
digital content can include, for example, advertisements,
preference-based content, banners, public announcements, emergency
notifications, etc. A sensor component continuously looks for the
end-of-file indication of an application program that is being
downloaded, and provides this data regarding the end-of-file
indication to the micro-splicer. The micro-splicer uses the program
downloading time between the start of download, initiated by the
user, and the end of the download, as shown by the end-of-file
indication in the storage location, to render and display alternate
content to a user of the MHDD from a local alternate content buffer
memory. In one embodiment, the micro-splicer uses the otherwise
wasted time during program download and launch on the MHDD, based
upon meta-data previously supplied to the micro-splicer.
[0017] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the entities that
participate in a micro-splicing operation in accordance with the
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/828,204, entitled Micro-splicer
for Inserting Alternate Content to a Content Stream on a Handheld
device, and filed on 25 Jul. 2007, which application is
incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference thereto. FIG.
1, however, is not limited to the previously known microsplicing
operation and also shows a microsplicing operation in accordance
with the invention herein, as discussed below. In FIG. 1, the main
entity blocks of the micro-splicing architecture of a MHDD 100
comprise the alternate content scheduler 133 and the micro-splicer
113. The alternate content scheduler 133 receives alternate content
and related metadata 180 over a broadcast or a unicast channel. The
alternate content scheduler 133 helps to synchronize content
switching on the MHDD by notifying the micro-splicer 113 of program
download initiation and download status, as obtained from the
status register 108 and the file download data store 134, 134A. The
alternate content scheduler 133 also prepares appropriate
locally-stored file content for decoding and pre-buffering pursuant
to rendering such content on the MHDD.
[0018] The micro-splicer 113 acts as a thin pipe in the mobile
media player 110 architecture. When a program is initiated, it can
either be streamed to the MHDD from the Internet or launched from a
program store in the MHDD. If, in the current example, the program
streams 160 are received over the air, then the program is
decrypted in the content description module 111 and fed into a
local program buffer 134A, instead of to the content buffer 114,
for display. During this process, the micro-splicer 113 provides
alternate content from the alternate content store 180 to the
content buffer 114 for display on the MHDD. When the program file
download is complete, the program is transferred from the file
download register 134 to the program store 134A. On receipt of file
download completion and transfer status for the program file from
the status register 108, the micro-splicer 113 stops any additional
alternate content flow to the display buffer. On completion of the
current alternate content insertion, the micro-splicer instructs
the mobile media player 110 to check on the program implementation
and to start rendering the program file from the program store
134A, as needed, to the display buffer 114. The micro-splicer 113,
in tandem with the alternate content scheduler 133, makes the
downloaded program stream active and displays the downloaded
content, once the display of the alternate content is complete.
Plug-ins are either previously installed in, or downloaded to, the
media player and enabled as necessary.
[0019] When a mobile TV service is enabled for the MHDD, program
streams flow via a broadcast channel into the MHDD. A mobile TV
service library on the MHDD conveys the IP address and port of the
device by which content is rendered to the MHDD. The micro-splicer
113 conveys program-stream metadata information to the alternate
content scheduler library for channel or program specific alternate
content insertion.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing a micro-splicing
architecture for alternate content insertion during initial program
downloading time according to an embodiment of the invention. The
alternate content scheduler 133 contains information regarding the
program that is currently downloading to the MHDD. The alternate
content scheduler fetches previously received, decoded, and stored
metadata 95 concerning alternate content, such as pre-stored ads
104, that is to be inserted during program downloading. The
metadata on the alternate content that is to be displayed is
defined by currently running advertisement campaigns, and is
delivered to the MHDD for storage on the MHDD. The alternate
content can be, for example, programs, messages, or content from
entities (sponsored media), such as advertisements to be rendered
in the available time period during program download and for
initiation as per an advertisement campaign policy.
[0021] The operation of the insertion and display of alternate
content, using the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1, during program
download is shown in FIG. 3 and is as follows: [0022] The MHDD
initiates a new program download (300). [0023] The MHDD receives
alternate content metadata, typically as the initial part of the
program download (310). [0024] The received metadata is decrypted,
decoded, and stored in the alternate content scheduler 133 (320).
[0025] The file download status monitor 108 maintains status of the
file download, and provides status information to the alternate
content scheduler at the start of the program download (330).
[0026] The MHDD starts receiving a program file from the mobile
video provider (340). [0027] The program file received is decrypted
and stored in the content/program buffer 90 (350). [0028] The
alternate content scheduler 133 receives the status on downloading
of the new program and instructs the micro-splicer 113 to load the
alternate content into the display buffer 114 of the MHDD for
display on the display 130 of the MHDD (360). [0029] The alternate
content in the display buffer 114 is displayed on the display 130
(370). [0030] The file download status monitor 108 continues
monitoring of the status of the file download during the download
process until the end of the program download (380). [0031] The
alternate content scheduler 133 instructs the micro-splicer 113 to
stop loading alternate content into the display buffer (390) when
it receives the download completion status from the status monitor.
[0032] Once the current alternate content display is complete, the
micro-splicer 113 loads the application program into the display
buffer 144 to run the program, and to display the program on the
MHDD display 130 (400). [0033] The micro-splicer 113 connects the
program to the display buffer memory to allow the user to interact
with the program, thus enabling program execution (410).
[0034] Although the invention is described herein with reference to
the preferred embodiment, one skilled in the art will readily
appreciate that other applications may be substituted for those set
forth herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the
present invention. Accordingly, the invention should only be
limited by the Claims included below.
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